Alabama Preview and Honors
 

D and I just returned from Preview weekend at Bama. The event was well organized and everyone was so nice to both the PNMs and Moms. D can't wait for recruitment to really meet and visit the houses at some length.

D did not meet any sorority women who are in the Honors college, or PNMs who will be living in the Honors dorms. Does anyone know if many sorority women at Bama are involved in Honors?

I would think that there would be as some of the houses have very high GPAs. Grades were really stressed as important during the parents program, but D not get that feeling when she visited the houses.

D is on scholarship so she MUST keep above a 3.00 GPA.

I know NOTHING about Greek life at Bama, but from what I've read on GC I don't think many of the women in sororities there (or at pretty much any school) have GPAs lower than 3.0. During recruitment the early cuts are often made based on grades, so houses are generally looking for decent students.

I also have no first hand experience at Bama, but from reading these message boards I would gather that grades at Bama are extremely important. At my school (campus total isn't even teh size of bama's nm classes) you have to have a 2.5 to even go through recruitment and for my chapter a 3.0 to even be invited back the second night. So grades are extremely important! and this is no where near as competitive as Bama. I'd say at Bama you probably need a 3.7(ish) to even be competitive along with recs, resume, hs activities, adn a great personality. As far as the honors program; Greek women probably are involved, hoever they may not be a huge part of their life. They take honors classes, but don't really participate in the honors program activites (itramurals, stepshow, movie nights, etc.) because they are so heavily involved in their sorority. This could be why it wasn't mentioned my sorority women. Also they would be living ing their sorority house not on the honors dorms. As for pnms I'm sure their will be plenty and plenty more on scholarship. They simply may have not been at preview weekend, or may your daughter just simply didn't meet them. :) Best of luck to your daughter.

I have several relatives/friends in the Honors College and yes many sorority women are in the program. The Honors dorms are extremely nice! I know some people with pretty average GPA's that got into sororities, but they were all either sisters (real ones) of a current active or had major social connections, so in general a high GPA gives a PNM a much better chance at getting into a house, and of course keeping a good GPA as a member is important, too. Good luck to her during recruitment!

Thanks for all the replys. We thought there must be Honors women in the sororities as they seem to have many member accomplishments to boast of. I guess with over 200 members per house, only a very few were on hand to meet and greet at preview. Glad to learn that academics really are important to the chapters.

Just to add my two cents, (I'm a currently in a sorority at Alabama and in the Honors college, but will keep my affiliation secret for now :) ) I would say that there is a decent number of sorority women in the honors college. (All of my honors courses have been overwhelmingly greek, actually) Due to the GPA requirements to be competitive during rush, I actually found quite a few other women in the honors college when I was going through recruitment.

Also, preview this year severely limited the number of sorority women that could be in the house or working the different information tables and events, so it doesn't surprise me that your daughter didn't meet any sorority women who were also in the honors college, seeing as this week is a huge test week and they were probably studying, since they weren't needed in the house.

Hope that helps and I look forward to meeting her in the fall (whoever she might be :))

My D is a freshman and she is in the Honors program and also in a sorority. My other D will be a Freshman this fall and she too will be in the Honors program and going through rush. Both will be living in the Honors housing....it is wonderful! Her dorm has alot of girls who are in sororities and honors. In my opinion and from what I have gathered from her...grades are important to a sorority. She has been able to manage her time and activities with the sorority and keeping her grades up. In the fall she had required study hall hours. She is also on a scholarship so she has to maintain a 3.0. I think the requirement to remain in the honors program is a 3.3. Good luck!!